In Kolkata on December 14, the BJP blasted the celebrity football exhibition that took place at Salt Lake Stadium on the city’s northern fringe, calling it a “shameful” affair for West Bengal. The party called on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to accept full responsibility for the disorder and the apparent bungling that marked the event.
The turmoil erupted that Sunday when fans, upset that they could barely see Lionel Messi despite having paid sky‑high prices for their tickets, began rioting inside the stadium. The chaos escalated to the point that police had to use a large‑scale lathi charge and bring in Rapid Action Force (RAF) officers to regain control, prompting Messi to exit the venue ahead of schedule.
Speaking to IANS, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh declared: “The incident is shameful for West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee should take responsibility; merely apologising will not be enough. Those who came there after spending money should be compensated.” He went on to say, “Everyone responsible must be punished, and legal action should be taken, whether it is the police, officials, or the ministers who were present on the dais. All of them should face legal proceedings.”
Earlier on Saturday, the main organiser, Satadru Dutta, was seized by police at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata as he tried to leave the city.
At the time of the incident, the Chief Minister was en route to the stadium. Upon hearing of the chaos and vandalism, she told her driver to turn back and later announced the formation of a judicial committee to investigate the mismanagement that led to the disaster.
“The committee will conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in future. Once again, I extend my heartfelt apologies to all sports lovers,” the Chief Minister said in a statement.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
